Munich prediction—B golds

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32783, 7 December 1971, Page 19

Munich prediction—B golds

(N.Z.P.A.-Rcuter —Copyright) SYDNEY. Australia’s young band of freestyle swimmers expects to mount the biggest challenge to American domination seen in an Olympic pool at the Munich Games.

Australian officials say that the young team will beat its record of eight gold medals at the Melbourne Olympics, in 1956.

Spearheading this assault will be the Sydney “Wonder Girl,’ Miss Shane Gould, aged 15, who on Friday lowered her own 200 metre world record .—set at the Crystal Palace, London, in May—by seventenths of a second, to 2min 6.ssec.

Already the holder of three freestyle world records, Miss Gould is expected to break the only two records that have eluded her by Christmas, to become the first swimmer to hold world standards for every distance from 100 to 1500 metres.

The prediction of greater Olympic swimming honours comes from Mr S. Grange, the secretary of the Amateur Swimming Union of Australia.

“Australia will have its best Olympics. Indeed, our

prospects for success at Munich have never been higher,” he said. Australia’s Olympic training squad will be chosen after the Australian championships, at Brisbane during the first week in February. In the 30-strong team, Miss Gould’s place is almost certain. Her coach, Mr F. Carlile, gives her a chance of winning four golds—in 100, 200, 400 and 800 metres freestyle events.

“Nobody has ever won four individual medals, but she has a chance to do just that. She gets better every time she swims,” says Mr Carlile. The men’s team, he says, will be dominated by G. Windeatt, aged 17. Mr Grange, too, agrees that Windeatt may win the 400 and 1500 metres freestyle events. M. Wenden, aged 21, the holder of two titles from the Mexico Olympics—the 100 and 200 metres—is reported

to be approaching his old, world-beating form. Other outstanding prospects in the men’s team are B. Cooper, aged 17, who has beaten Windeatt over 400 metres on two occasions and G. White, who was second in the American national championships and should be in the 1500 metres freestyle final.

Although her 800 metres world record is in danger of being beaten by Miss Gould, swimming officials are also hoping for a rapid return to form by Miss Karen Moras.

Miss Moras, who has only been back in the water three weeks after a mystery illness contracted in July, is concentrating hard in her training for a place at Munich. There are also medal hopes in three other young girl swimmers—Miss Debbi Cane in the backstroke events, Miss Beverly in the breaststroke and Miss Sue Funce in the butterfly. “But,” says Mr Carlile, “it is really in the freestyle that Australia will be the strongest.” "■